2.
2072 Words
Locking the door behind me, I dropped my bag on the floor, removing my coat, I was quick to put it in dryer, before taking off my shoes, and heading into the kitchen.
I frowned as I saw Amelia's back, stirring a pot on the stainless stove.
"Weren't you having a date tonight? What happened?" I voiced out my confusion.
She was in her sweats. Not all dolled up when she picked me up from work.
"Nothing. He stood me up. He also didn't come like the rest. I don't know why I even try now." She sounded exhausted, a slight edge to her voice. I knew what it was. She was trying very hard to not cry, to stop her tears from spilling. Didn't she know, I will always be there for her like always? She was my best friend. My support system. How can I not share her grief when she does the same?
I turned her around to face me before taking her in my embrace. All it needed was a hug before I heard her crying against my shoulder. She was sobbing. It was always like this.
"Why they do this Val? Why? Am I not pretty enough to date?" She sounded so lost and so insecure. She was torn. Rejection causes severity. It causes severe trauma. Same happened with her. My friend was slowly and slowly slipping into depression. She was struggling with herself. anxiety, depression, and sadness were her constant. She was rejected twice in these past four months. It was getting to her. She was doubting herself. She was unable to find herself beautiful anymore.
I let her cry on my shoulder, before she seemingly calmed down and I helped her get into bed.
"Stay here. I will continue preparing dinner." I ordered before freshening up and heading over to the kitchen, and started from where she left.
Jason was her colleague, where she was currently doing internship. He was a sweet man in his mid twenties, struggling to take a hold of his career. They met three months back and instantly clicked, Jason finally got the balls and asked Amelia out on a date. After several weeks I genuinely saw her happy. The sparks in her eyes always returned whenever she used to talk about him
I don't know why he stood her up. I had a sudden urge to go beat his sorry ass for hurting my best friend, but it was not possible due to two reasons, one, I didn't know his address, and two I was afraid to go out and get caught.
I prepared dinner before taking it down to her room.
"Here. Let's have a best friend's date." I cheered as I placed the steaming hot plate of Mac and cheese in front of her. She passed me a grateful smile before we both dug in and talked about our uneventful day.
"I got a call from mom today." I took a sip of water to rinse off my throat, as I glanced at her.
"Yeah? What did she say?" She sat straight, as she passed me a curious smile.
"Nothing much. She was just checking up on me." I answered.
I shared everything with Amelia, after coming to Paris safely. I didn't hide anything from her beside some important stuff, that she was not to be worried about.
"What are you gonna do now when Jason stood you up?" I asked cautiously.
She shrugged. "I honestly don't know Val." She sounded so sad. I just wanted to take her pain away. She was there for me always, I never saw her this depressed. Her health condition was deteriorating day by day. The dark circles under her eyes were now becoming more prominent. We both were fighting our own battles.
"I have night shift tomorrow, so I won't be coming across him." She filled me in.
"Oh." Was all I could say, before picking up the plates and washing them.
Tucking Amelia into her bed, I went to mine. I sighed as I changed into one of my old tee and got into bed.
I laid there wide awake, like every other night. I closed my eyes but sleep never came. The world outside was quiet. I could easily hear my own heart beating as I laid, looking up at the ceiling. I was still, as I let the feelings of fear and sadness ebb and flow. There was a tenseness to my muscles that made me more like a mannequin on this soft mattress than a woman of flesh and bones. Like every night I let my tears slip down the margin of my eyes, as I recall the moments I spent with the only man who ruled my heart.
Rafe.
Rafe Ale Marcello.
The man who had my heart. Who will forever reside in my heart. I yearn to tell him, to let him know how much I love him.
Three years. Three years, two months and seventeen days, have passed but I haven't seen him. I long to touch him, to kiss him, to have his hands on me, but I cannot do that. If I love my family, if I love Amelia, Marie and my mother, so I need to stay low, and not cross paths with Rafe again.
The day, I was taken is still fresh in my mind as if it just occurred yesterday.
The day I got separated away from Ale. The day I was kidnapped and brought to Italy. It was all fresh. The betrayal, the loss, the reality struck me like a lightening, and was left to wail and plead for the safety of my family, in exchange of putting my relationship at risk.
That day I witnessed the bitter truth.
I clearly remember when I was ordered to leave Rafe alone in exchange of my family.
I had no option back then. I couldn't do anything. I had so much to loose.
"Either you break up with that boyfriend of yours or enjoy seeing your little family die." He had laid down the words in front of me.
Nothing mattered to me at the moment. Not Ale, not our relationship, not our love, nothing mattered except my family. My mother, my father and my little sister. Although they weren't my real parents, but they were more than that to me.
"Do-dont hurt my family. I-I will leave A-Ale." I surrendered. Looking down. That day I sacrificed my love for Ale in exchange of my family.
"Good choice troia." The old man snickered.
(Slut)
"If I ever see you anywhere near Rafe now, trust me I won't hesitate to kill your precious family and make you watch it." He snarled right on my face, before snapping his fingers, and a man dressed as s bodyguard, emerged out of nowhere.
"Send her back to wherever she came from. Make sure Rafe does not find out about this." He ordered before leaving me alone with the bodyguard. I cried clutching my heart, that day.
I never knew relations can ever be deceiving. But again, my own parents abandoned me, I should never be very sure.
—
It rained in the middle of night, it looked, as I walked down the lane for a cab. I didn't want to disturb Amelia to drop me, as she had her night shift tonight, and so it was better she was well rested. I didn't have a car, or more like I couldn't afford one at the moment.
It was a bright morning anyway, but I felt hollow. Nothing appealed to me anymore. It looked I was living a life of a dead corpse.
I attended my lectures at the college uninterested. Even though it was my dream to study here, but now this place was not appealing to me anymore.
I clocked into the office, and walked directly to my desk beside Mr Barnes office door. He was man in his late forties, living a satisfactory life with his wife and children. He was very humble and looked out for all his staff.
"Hello Valenie." I groaned internally.
Even though Mr Barnes was a kind man, but it was not the same case with his younger brother, who couldn't seem to take his eyes off women's asses. A man in his late thirties, but had no success in his pathetic life. He was an irritating mutt, who was always found nagging women, or touching them whenever he get the chance.
He harassed me whenever he get the chance. Be it kissing my cheek, or grabbing my ass in appreciation. I hated it all. The assault felt like a turmoil on another level.
"What do you want Taylor?" I snapped, as I fixed the collar of my shirt as he eyed my cleavage.
"You." He didn't bat an eyelid.
"Excuse me?" I was left horrified.
"Excused."
"If you don't have anything to do with me so leave I have work to focus on." I snapped again when he didn't make s move to step away from my desk.
"Why so rude darling?" He purred, as he bent a little onto the desk.
I scoffed leaning away.
"Taylor I need to work." I asserted.
"You know you don't have to work so hard if you just give what I want and i will ask my brother to double your pay." He further spoke.
I looked at him in contempt. Was he actually saying that? He had no respect in front of Mr Barnes. He just tolerated him because of his poor mother who always used to put a blind eye to his son's deeds.
"And what do you want?" It was Mr Barnes that spoke, from behind. We both straightened up, as he raised an eyebrow at him.
Taylor visibly hesitated before shrugging. "Nothing that is your business brother." He spat.
"Oh really? But I definitely heard you say that you're gonna ask me to raise her pay." He pointed at me. He looked calm. As if he knew how to tackle this situation. "So this is my absolute business because she is my employee." He emphasized.
"Whatever." He shrugged in return, before turning to me, "I will catch up with you later." He passed me a sickeningly sweet smile.
"I apologize on his behalf." Mr Barnes apologized.
" You don't need to apologize sir." I passed him a grateful smile.
"Why were you here? Do you need something?" I asked. He would only come out if he needed anything from me.
"Yeah. I came to ask for the files of Drake estates." He answered, and i was quick to get on my feet to bring him the files.
—
It was late in the evening, I was done washing dishes and was about to clock out and call it a night, when something flashed on the small LCD screen placed on the wall. I stilled at my spot.
It was s picture of Rafe, he looked undeniably handsome, Bulkier and tall than the last time I saw him. He stood with a girl I once had an encounter with. What had my breath hitching and my head spinning was the words that were spoken by the news anchor.
"Multi-billionaire, Rafe Ale Marcello gets engaged to Luna Morello, his long term girlfriend."
Rafe.
Engaged.
Luna.
He was getting married to Luna.
I swayed at my place, clutching the corner of a booth, I straightened myself up.
3 years.
I waited for him for three damn years and this is how he repaid me? By getting a f*****g fiancée.
Rafe Ale Marcello ruined me for good.
I remember what he told me.
"I'd never cheat on you amore."
"You're going to marry her?" I had whispered.
"No! No Valenie. No I won't. I love you. She's nothing to me. I promise."
"You promise?" I had asked in a low voice.
"Yes I promise."
He promised me!
He promised me he won't cheat on me. But what he did? He did just that.
He betrayed. All this time I was drowning in guilt of betraying him, in guilt of not choosing him over my family. Yet what he did? He stroked at my weakest.
Rafe Ale Marcello shattered me completely.
—
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